Back-Loading Product Dispensing Hook

• US 20140047745A1
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trion Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trion Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Wildrick, Richard J., Kologe, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,844,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/661.06
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/004 holding the bottle by the neck only
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0838 Rails or bars; Article supports therefor, e.g. brackets being slidably attached on the outside thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/285 Show stands having fixation means, e.g. hanging means, slidable fixations, frictional retaining means, theft prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/04 to be fastened or secured by the material of the label itself, e.g. by thermo-adhesion by a separate adhesive layer G09F3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/20 for adjustable, removable, or interchangeable labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like

Abstract

A back-loading display hook for the dispensing of products having limited shelf life, where the products are supplied in containers having enlarged tops and narrower necks. Spaced apart support rods, extend forwardly, spaced to accommodate the necks, while suspending the products by their tops. The inner ends of the product rods are spaced apart a greater distance, sufficient to receive the enlarged tops of the products and form a loading position. The products are loaded by moving the tops upward in the loading position, and then sliding them forward onto the narrower portions of the support rods. A stop element is associated with the load position, and is displaceable to allow upward loading of the products onto the support rods, while preventing rearward movement of products back into the load position. Optionally, the display hook may be disposed horizontally, or inclined to cause the products to advance forward by gravity.

Claims

1. A back-loading display and dispensing hook, specially adapted for the support and display of products of a type having a necked top configuration including a body portion, a neck portion joined with and positioned above said body portion, and a top portion joined with and positioned above said neck portion and of larger lateral size than said neck portion, which comprises,

a base structure adapted to be mounted on a display support structure,

first and second product support elements joined with said base structure and extending forward therefrom in spaced apart generally parallel relation,

said product support elements being spaced apart, over a forward portion thereof, a lateral distance at least slightly greater than a lateral dimension of said neck portion and less than a lateral dimension of said top portion whereby said products may be suspended on said product support elements by the top portions of said products,

a barrier structure at a forward end of said product support elements positioned to block forward movement of said products,

said product support elements being spaced apart, for a limited distance at back portions thereof, a distance greater than a lateral dimension of said top portions to form a loading position enabling products to be loaded onto said product support elements by passing said top portions upwardly between said product support elements at said back portions thereof and thereafter moving said products forwardly until said top portions are engaged and supported by forward portions of said product support elements, and

a product release structure associated with said barrier structure to enable intended removal of products from a front of said display hook.

2. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 1, wherein

a resilient stop element is associated with said loading position to prevent movement of loaded product in a rearward direction into said loading position, and

said stop element is displaceable by upward movement of a product top portion into said loading position.

3. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 2, wherein

said stop element comprises a vertically displaceable element mounted at a back end thereof and having a forward portion extending forward into said loading position, and

the forward portion of said stop element is upwardly displaceable by a product being inserted upwardly into said loading position.

4. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 1, wherein

said barrier structure comprises upwardly directed elements at forward ends of said product support elements.

5. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 4, wherein

said product release structure comprises first and second release elements extending upward and outward from respective upwardly directed elements of said barrier structure, and a third release element extending transversely between and joined with said first and second release elements,

said release elements forming a product release window of a size and shape to enable a product top portion to be passed through and removed from the front of the display hook.

6. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 5, wherein

said third release element extends horizontally between upper-outer ends of said first and second release elements,

a label holder is pivotally mounted on said third release element and extends in front of said first and second release elements, and

said label holder is pivotable forwardly and upwardly to accommodate passage of a product top portion through said window.

7. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 6, wherein

said third release element comprises a cylindrical, wire-like section,

said label holder has a pivot clip extending along its upper edge and wrapped partially around said wire-like section and mounting said label holder for pivoting movement,

rear portions of said pivot clip are cut-away at each end extremity thereof to form a truncated rear center portion of said pivot clip which can freely pivot about said wire-like section between the respective first and second release elements, and

portions of said end extremities of said pivot clip are positioned to engage and abut back surfaces of said first and second release elements to prevent pivoting of said label holder into or beyond a vertical position, whereby the label holder reliably returns by gravity to a position in front of said window, after a product has been removed through said window.

8. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 5, wherein

said product support elements, said upwardly directed barrier elements, and said release elements are formed of a continuous length of wire rod.

9. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 8, wherein

said base structure comprises a back plate element, and

rearward ends of said continuous length of wire rod are fixed to said base structure.

10. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 8, wherein

said product support elements are disposed at a downward angle to said base structure such that, when said base structure is mounted on a support structure, products supported on said product support elements by top portions of said products will tend to slide downward and forward on said product support elements,

11. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 1, wherein

said base structure includes a metal back plate to which rearward ends of said support elements are fixed.

12. A back-loading display and dispensing hook, specially adapted for the support and display of products of a type including a body portion, a neck portion joined with and positioned above said body portion, and a top portion joined with and positioned above said neck portion and of larger lateral size than said neck portion, which comprises,

a pair of spaced-apart elements adapted to be mounted by rear end portions thereof to a display structure and to extend forward therefrom in spaced-apart, generally parallel relation to form product supports,

said spaced apart elements having rear-most portions spaced apart a first distance greater than a lateral dimension of said top portion,

said rear-most portions forming a loading position enabling a product top portion to be loaded in an upward direction into said loading position and then moved forwardly onto forward portions of said product supports,

said forward portions of said spaced apart elements being spaced apart a second distance slightly greater than a lateral dimension of said neck portion and less than a lateral dimension of said top portion, whereby loaded products may be suspended on said product supports by the top portions of said products, and

barrier elements integrally joined with forward ends of said product supports and positioned to restrict forward sliding of said products.

13. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 12, wherein

a resiliently displaceable stop element is associated with said loading position to prevent movement of loaded products in a rearward direction into said loading position.

14. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 13, wherein

said stop element comprises a vertically displaceable element mounted at a back end thereof and having a flexible tongue portion at a front portion thereof extending forward into said loading position,

said flexible tongue portion being resiliently upwardly displaceable by a product being inserted upwardly into said loading position.

15. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 14, wherein

a mounting base, formed of sheet metal and of generally inverted J-shaped configuration, is provided for mounting said hook to the display structure, said spaced apart elements being fixed to a front side of said mounting base,

said mounting base having openings in front and rear sides thereof for the reception and support of back portions of said stop element, and

said flexible tongue portion of said stop element projecting forward from said mounting base into said loading position,

said stop element being formed of flat, resilient material and said flexible tongue portion thereof is displaceable upwardly, to permit loading of product at said loading position, while having sufficient stiffness to prevent products, supported on forward portions of said product support elements, from moving rearwardly into said loading position.

16. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 13, wherein

said spaced apart elements are formed by wire rod,

said barrier elements are upwardly directed elements formed of said wire rod, integrally joined with forward ends of said product supports and positioned to block forward sliding of said product,

a product release structure, formed of said wire rod, is integrally joined with upper ends of said barrier elements and defines a product release window above said barrier elements of sufficient size to enable forward pass-through of top portions of said products.

said product release structure comprises first and second release elements integrally joined with and extending upward and laterally outward from respective ones of said barrier elements, and a third release element integrally joined with and extending horizontally between upper, outer ends of said first and second release elements,

a label holder is pivotally attached to said third release element and hangs downwardly therefrom in front of said product release window, and

said label holder includes portions engageable with back surface portions of said first and second release elements to prevent upward pivotal rotation of said label holder into a vertically upward orientation, such that said label holder reliably returns to a downwardly hanging position in front of said release window after a product is removed through said release window.

17. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 16, wherein

said base structure includes a mounting base, separate from said length of wire, to which the opposite rear ends of said wire are fixed.

18. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 16, wherein

said product release window is in the form of an inverted triangle.

19. A back-loading display and dispensing hook according to claim 13, wherein

said product support elements are disposed at a downward and outward angle with respect to said display structure, whereby products, supported on said product support elements by top portions of said products, will tend to slide downward and forward by gravity on said product support elements,